Kiln.



No. 679,8I7. Patented Aug. 6, 190i.

F. ALSIP.

KILN.

(Application filed Jan. 9, 1901.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet Tu: nonnls wrrzns o0. momma, WASNINGTUN, o. c

No. 679,8l7. Patented Aug. 6, IBM.

F. ALSIP.

KILN.

(Application filed Jan. 9, 1901.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES;

. PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK ALSIP," OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

KILN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 679,817, dated August 6, 1901.

Application filed January 9, 1901- Serial No- 42,604. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK ALSIP, acitizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Kilns, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of kilns of the kiln-cover.

A still further object is to provide means whereby any portion or section of the kilncover may be quickly and readily repaired by substituting a sound section or portion for that which is damaged or imperfect while the contents of the kiln are being burned or subjected to heat, means for attaching metal supports operatively to the suspensible kilncover, so as to hold it in place while subjected to the heat from the kiln without the metal being weakened or melted by such heat, and means for shielding the metal support from direct contact with the full force of the heat from the kiln.

Other objects of the invention will appear from an examination of the drawings and the following description and claims.

The invention consists in the features, combinations, and details of construction herein; after described and claimed.

The accompanying drawings show a brickkiln provided with my improved suspensible kiln-cover and the means for supporting the same, being a kiln of the ordinaryand wellknown type, but having, the comparatively thin walls rendered available by my improvements, in which- Figure 1 is an upright transverse sectional the cover, taken on line 2 of Fig. 1, showing a desirable shape and relative position of the slabs and slab-supporting blocks; Fig. 3, an upright transverse sectional View showing a portion of a wall of-the kiln and a portion of the kiln-cover and supports; and Fig. 4:, an upright lateral sectional view of a portion of the kiln-cover and supports, taken on line 4 of Fig. 3 lookingin the direction of the arrow.

In constructing a kiln in accordance with my improvements I build the walls a of the kiln in the ordinary and well-known manner, making them thinner than would be necessary in connection with the arched cover commonly known and used. Though desirable, however, the thinness of the walls is not essential, and they may be made as thick as desired. These Walls are provided at intervals along the sides of the kiln with fiues b, of the ordinary and well-known type, extending therethrough and opening into the space 0 between the top course or layer of brick or other material to be burned in such kiln and the under side of the suspensible cover d.

Flues e are provided beneath the kiln at desired intervals leading from the inner space f of the kiln to the outer air. The bricks or other material to be burned are set in the space f and slightly separated from each other to permit the draft to pass through the interstices between them. As will be seen from an inspection of the drawings, the current of hot air passes from the fire-boxes a through the fines b, the space 0, the interstices between the bricks (not shown) in space f, and through flues e and stack or exhaust-fan (not shown) to the outer air, as indicated by the arrows. This exposes the under side of the kiln-cover d to great heat.

It is desirable that the kiln-cover be suspended above the material to be burned in such manner as to withstand and confine the heat necessary for the proper burning of the brick in the kiln and so that it can be readily placed in positionorremoved therefrom section by section. Thisenables the cover to be quickly and readily repaired while the material in the kiln is being burned without seriously interfering with such process and without destroying or disturbing other portions of the cover. To accomplish this result, I extend the side walls of the kiln upward beyond the top line of the bricks to be burned, as at 71., so that the walls form a substantial support for the kiln-cover. Cross beams r girders 'i are provided, which extend from side wall to side wall and rest thereon, and on these beams are extended, laterally of the.

kiln and at desired intervals, supports 3', as

shown in Figs. 2 and 3. ln constructingthese.

. jaws m, which I prefer to make of one integral piece of spring metal, each jawbeing perforated, so that the suspension-rodmay be passed therethrough and support the same by means of the head at on the rod. Suspensible blocks 0 are provided, having notches therein, into which the ends of the jaws are inserted in the manner shown in Figs. 3 and at to hold them in their suspended position. These suspensible blocks'are also provided with shoulders q and 4", upon which are placed slabs s, which are held in position thereby .and which, with the rods and means for connecting the blocks thereto, constitute the suspended portion of the kiln-cover. The portion 25 of each of the suspensible blocks extends upward between the slabs a distance from the lower face of the blocks and slabs, so as to permit the metal supports to be attached thereto at a distance from the lower heated portions of the blocks and prevent the metal jaws which hold the blocks from being weakened or melted by the heat from the kiln and also to hold the blocks and slabs in their proper relative positions. In order that the suspensible blocks and slabs may withstand the high heat of the kiln, I make them preferably of fireclay, pressed or molded into the desired size and shape. A sheet of asbestos X may be laid over all the fire-brick slabs s to lessen the radiation and more thoroughly protect the suspension-rods it. Being necessarily exposed to the heat within the kiln and to atmospheric changes, these suspensible blocks and slabs are subject to contraction and expansion caused by change of temperature. To prevent injury by such expansion and contraction, I arrange the slabs and blocks so that a small space M intervenes between the upright portions thereof. This arrangement, as will be readily perceived, results in the metal supports being removed from the extreme heat of the kiln and shielded therefrom by the blocks and slabs, making a comparatively light structure, which is both economical and eflicient and provides for a light inclosing wall. It will be readily apparent that in view of the comparative lightness and peculiar construction of this cover it can easily be mounted on wheels and the wheels mounted upon tracks extending from one kiln to another and removed from one kiln to another by such means, either as a whole or in sections when desirable; butitis deemed unnecessary to show such wheels or tracks, and the possibility of separating certain sections from others, and thus rendering them readily transportable, will readily appear from an inspection of the drawings.

The principal advantages incident to the use of my improvements are, first, simplicity, economy, and efficiency of construction and operation; second, the ready removability of the roof, enabling it to be used upon another kiln while the contents of the kiln already burned are being removed or new material placed therein to be burned; third, the capability of "being placed in position section by section, enabling the brick or other material already set to be protected thereby while any desired space in the kiln remains uncovered and also enabling a damaged or imperfect section or portion to be quickly and readily replaced by a sound one while the contents of the kiln are being burned and the cover exposed to great heat; fourth, the lightness of the cover; fifth, the lightness of the kiln -walls, and, sixth, the removal of the limitation of the width of the kiln, which limitation is inseparable from the use of an arched cover of the ordinary type, these improvements rendering possible the practically unlimited size of the kiln as to width and length.

I claim- 1. In a kiln of the class described, a sectional kiln-cover formed of a plurality of suspensible blocks, a plurality of fireproof slabs resting upon the blocks, and means for suspending the blocks in position, substantially as described.

2. In a kiln of the class described, a sectional kiln-cover formed of a plurality of suspensible blocks provided with upwardly-projecting portions and laterally-extending portions forming flanges or shoulders, a plurality of slabs formed of fireproof material resting thereupon to provide in connection with the suspensible blocks a lower fireproof surface where it is exposed to the heat of the kiln, and means for holding the suspensible blocks by their upwardly-projecting portions, substantially as described.

3. In a kiln of the class described, the combination of a sectional kiln-cover, a series of main supporting-beams extending from side wall to side wall of the kiln and supported thereby, a plurality of secondary supports resting upon the main supporting-beams, and means for suspending the cover from the secondary supports, substantially as described.

4. In a kiln of the class described, the combination of a plurality of supporting-beamsarranged above the kiln, upright supports upon which the supporting-beams rest, a plurality of secondary supports extending laterally of the kiln and resting upon the main supporting-beams, a sectional kiln-cover formed of a plurality of suspensible blocks and a plurality of slabs resting thereon, and a series of rods supported by the secondary supports and provided With jaws which grasp the suspensible blocks and hold such blocks and slabs suspended above the space inclosed between the walls, substantially as described.

5. In a kiln, a plurality ofsuspensible supporting-blocks, a plurality of fireproof slabs arranged between the suspensible blocks and supported thereby, and means for suspending the blocks and slabs above the kiln-space, substantially as described. 

